Hypocritical South America - Sophie Antezana



In Bolivia, indigenous movements heavily advocated and accomplished the establishment of ecocentric laws. The Bolivian Constitution as well as the the Rights of Mother Earth both recognize that Nature has seven specific rights: the right to live, diversity of life, clean water and air, maintenance of her components in a balanced way, preservation from pollution, and right to be restored” (Villaciencio-Calzadilla). Doctor Paola Villavicencio Calzadilla studied environmental law and she quotes the law, “Mother Earth is a dynamic living system”, personifying our planet for the sake of providing protection. In practice, the rights are entirely theoretical. The Bolivian government parades these beautiful eco-centric, philosophical ideas while still heavily promoting extractive activities necessary to industrially develop. The hypocrisy makes it evident that environmental protection is nowhere near as prioritized as it is portrayed for the sake of prevailing economic interests. The legislation serves primarily as a booster seat to show legitimacy to their indigenous populations while actively destroying the very core of their culture by continuing resource extraction.

A perfect example of the Bolivian government's priorities was seen during the construction of the TIPNIS highway which disrupted a hugely biodiverse area and interrupted Indigenous territory (Villaciencio-Calzadilla). Another example is the Bala-Chepete case which was the construction of a hydroelectric mega dam in the Amazonian region that threatened not only indigenous reserves, but also directly affected one of Bolivia's National parks. The problem was further worsened when there has been little advancement in the establishment of the Mother Earth Ombudsman’s Office that was originally ordered to be created (Villaciencio-Calzadilla). There are no consequences for not following previously promised environmental policy which is most likely why it continues. Although the judiciary has made progress such as ruling in favor of the Rights of Mother Earth to suspend a 2021 construction project, there is no overarching power used to achieve positive results. Bolivia as a whole has prioritized the theoretical into beautiful fantasies without any commitment creating underwhelming environmental protections.

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